Cousland and Hawke
by Duen
Summary: A male cousland warden and Bethany hawke story
1. Chapter 1

Ok just imagine he looks like, like you wanted him to look like, im not good at discribing my own OCs

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_Past: Lothering_

I had just finished with the last job, from the chanter's board. I swear if i have to hear one more of this idiotic moron's speech, im going to cut him down.

"So now that we have helped the helpless, can we go onward then?" Morrigan asked impatiently. It was obivious that helping people with no gain was a fact that she did not value much, not like Leliana who she seems more like the helpfull type.

"Helping the misfortuned is always a welcomed deed, you should be glad to show that mages are not bad as people think" Leliana said with her Olaisian accent.

"Then tis too bad that i dont care what other people think of mages" She responded to the bard.

"Easy you two" I interrubed them "Okay, yes Morrigan we are done here, i just need to check the merchant if there is anything usefull i can buy. Just make camp when your half way towards the circle tower" I told them.

"Ahh yes, leave me alone with a crazy witch, and a chantry sister who wont hesitate to slit your throat if you say a bad word of Andraste" Alistair joked, while the girls moved towards the highway out of Lothering.

I then began to stumble back towards the merchant and saw he had nothing that interrested me, but potions. Suddenly i felt someone poke my shoulder and i turned around to see a fairly young woman infront of me, she had raven black thick hair and brown eyes and a beautiful skin colour.

"Excuse me, but i heard your from Ostagar, is that right?" She asked curiously.

"Its not something i will brag about, but yeah i am. Why ya asking?" I asked

"Well, is just that, my 2 brothers joined the Kings army at Ostagar, and from what i heard it was a massacre" She said.

"Okay, i can see where this is going" I said already "Whats their names?" I asked.

"Garret and Carver Hawke, both dark haired and same skin tone as mine" She told me with haste.

"Im sorry, but cant say i have seen them. But i notice some were fleeing the battle so their is still a chance that they are alive" I answered. She then looked down on the ground a little sad of the little knowlegde i had of her siblings.

"Im sure that they are okay, i manage to get out of there maybe they will too" I said, while avoiding the part of a dragon came and rescued me.

She looked at me, with a little more hope in her eyes and even a sly smile on her face.

"Whats your name my lady?" I politely asked

"Bethany, Bethany Hawke" She answered

"Kaiden Cousland" I said, while bowing a little. She then seemed surprised and said.

"Cousland? like the family thats in charge of Highever castle?" she asked

I nodded "Well, not much now. We got betray by one of my fathers closets friends. I manage to escape but my parents didnt" I told her with a sad voice.

"What really? Oh im so sorry My lord" She apologied. I hold up my hand as a sign to stop talking.

"Dont call me lord please, im not much of a noble anymore" I said.

"I see. So where are you headed?" She asked while changing the subject

"To the Circle of Magi. Me and some friends are going to rally an army to fight the blight, by starting to gain the aid of the mages" I told her, not even caring if everyone heard it.

"That if, the templars dares to let them out for a change" She said with venom in her voice.

"You dont like templars i guess?"

Shook her head and said "Getting forced to live in a tower for the rest of your life, just cause they think free mages are going to destroy cities" Then i notice quickly that her hands were on fire, but did not look like it hurted.

"Are those words of a mage supporter, or a mage itself?" I half asked even through i knew the answer. She looked utterly surprised that i took notice of it and quickly turned off the fire from her hands.

"Oh i um" She began to stumble in her own words.

"Its okay i wont tell" I told her

"Really? i thought nobles supported the chantry and its templars" She said

"Not all of us. Some nobles got the same vision of mage as the most fanatic templar has. That they all should be locked up. Others like myself, got nothing against mages" I said.

She smiled a little more widely. "Thank you, glad to see some support us" She said and i could swear she blink at me.

I notcied that the sun was going down soon so i have to make this quick.

"Well its getting dark, would you like to come back at my place to stay for the night?" She asked a little shy.

"Oh um i would love to, but i need to catch up with my friends. An other time perhaps?" I asked. She looked a little disappointed by my answer but manage to still smile and say.

"Its alright i guess. Since your going to the tower, can you then find my cousin there? her last name is Amell" She requested.

"Sure, what ya want me to tell her?" I asked

"Just tell her, that we are doing fine for now" she said.

I bowed down a bit and said "It shall be done My lady" with a sly smile, in which she responded with a giggle and left.


	2. Chapter 2

_A year later._

Bethany and Garret have always been busy since they arrived in Kirkwall. First their servitude in the Red Iron, and now collecting coin and doing odd jobs for people. They also met a bunch of companions, like Varric a dwarf story teller, Merrill a elven mage from the nearby dalish clan, Fenris a vengefull elf with little regard for mages, Isabela a former pirate captain and the grey warden mage Anders. Since people will be a little afraid of them when all of them were together, they always travel in a group of 4 with Garret leading them.

It was mid day and Garret and Bethany were in hightown for looking for a job that could offer the remaining 5 gold coins they needed to get on the expedition.

"I go check the chantry's board if they got something, you can shop for food id you want" Garret told his younger sister. She nodded and got 1 gold coin.

"Should be enough" she said to herself. Suddenly a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Well sharpen my ears and call me an elf, Bethany is that you?!" he asked excited. She looked closely and saw it was the grey warden she talked to a year ago.

"Kaiden? is that you?" She asked smiling.

"The one and only" He confirmed and gave her a hug.

"Last i heard was you were commander of vigils keep, what happen?" She asked, while stop hugging him.

"Well its a longer story but to cut it short, it was attacked by darkspawn at the same time as the city of amaranthine. I made sure that the keep was a fortress by the time i left, so i choosed to defend Amaranthine, rather then burn it to the ground which were a popular choice by the way" He told her.

"Amaranthine? Wernt the Hows in charge of that place?" She asked confused.

He nodded and said "Yeah but since Rendon Howe turned out to be a traitor to the land of Ferelden, the arl of Amaranthine was granted to the grey wardens, and i was put in charge of it"

"wait so you are the arl of Amaranthine?" She asked amazed

"Well not anymore, you see after the attack on Amaranthine and killing the mother, dont ask, i kind of relived myself of command. Being an arl was not something i fancy to be honest, so i gave the council of Amaranthine a choice of their new arl and let my guard captain take my place as commander of the keep" He answered

While he was telling all that, she looked him up and down and saw he had an armor of silverite and a two handed sword on his back.

"Oh and i met your cousin at the circle" He annonced

"Oh i heard about what happen to the circle, havnt even heard from her since the incident, is she alive?" She asked hopefully

"It was messy i say, but i manage to find her with some of her teachers. She was glad to know you were well by the way" He informed her

That took a great deal comfort for her. "Thank you ser Cousland" She thanked him.

"Please, just call me Kaiden. So what you doing here?" he asked

"Well, my brother and i are collecting money for a deep roads expedition, which we hope can set us with a great fortune so we dont have to live in lowtown with our uncle" She said with disguss at the uncle part.

"Something wrong?" He asked

"Is just my uncle, first he have my brother and I sold into servitude to a mercanary gang for a year to get us in, and then we found out he wasted our family's fortune and estate away to slavers" She said with discormfort.

He just smiled and said "I guess that your uncle arnt going to get some of the fortune huh?"

She giggled and said "If it were up to me then he wont see a bronze. But im sure my mother will forgive him and lend him some for his 'wonderfull hospitality'" With a little sarcasm in the end.

"How much more you need for the expedition?" He asked

"Well 6 sorveigns now, i got one for food" She answered.

He reach into his pocket and took a porch out and a little sack, he put 6 sorveigns in it and handed it to her.

"This should be enough right?" he asked

She looked shocked and happy for a moment and then gave him the tightest hug she ever given.

"Thank you so much, but can i really take this?" She asked, not beliving this

"Yes, take it as a gift, plus i got more where that came from" He assured her with a charming smile.

"What are you doing here in Kirkwall by the way?" she asked with great curiousity.

"I needed to get away from Ferelden for a bit, since i gave up my post as commander of vigils keep, i kind of also gave up my position as warden commander. And since they need some time to rebuild their numbers, i took the liberty of leaving" He answered

"But why Kirkwall?" She asked with a raised brow.

"Antiva sounds to backstabby to me, and i dont think i fit in Tevinter" He said

"What about Orlais?" She asked. He looked down a bit on the ground and up at the mage again with little saddend look on his face.

"Oh, im sorry if its to personal" She apologied quickly

"Its ok, its just something i cant talk about right now. Maybe later perhaps?" He asked

She nodded eagerly and smiled. Then Garret came back, and notice the young warden and his sister talking. Bethany saw him and waved him over to them.

"Oh Garret, i got someone for you to meet" She said with joy. He step up beside her and said

"Really? and who might you be?" He asked with caution in his voice.

"Oh im Kaiden Cousland, and you most be Bethany's older brother Garret" Kaiden told the older Hawke.

Hawke looked at Kaiden with a raised brown and asked "As in the grey warden Cousland? the hero of Ferelden who slayed the Archdemon and lived?"

"And now a donater to your deep roads expedition" Kaiden annoced with a smile.

"What?" Garret asked looking at his sister

"Kaiden gave me 6 soverigns for the expedition" She said while showing the the 6 gold coins.

"That seems mighty generous of you, any reasons why?" Garret asked

"I like to help people, and beside i once gave money to elfs who claimed to be eighter ostagar veterans or orphans or both, i kind of figured it out when i saw one of them were neatly dressed" He admit and laughed a little.

"Well, the chantry's board got nothing so i guess i go meet Varric to meet with his brother" Garret said and walked off.

"He seemed a bit, tensed" Kaiden noticed

"He always is when im outside, always beliving a templar would come and drag me away. Im amazed he even let me leave alone until you showed up" She said and giggled a little. Just then, Kaiden began to walk away.

"Hey, where you going?" She asked a little to quickly

He turned and said "The hanged man, i need a bed for the night and i havnt got a place i can stay at yet"

"Hmmm, maybe you could stay with us, for the night i mean. Its not classy as you are used to of course, but its the least i can offer" She said a little shy

"Well if you insist. And i used to sleep out in the open doing my travels under the blight" He said with a confident smile.

_Gamlen's House_

Bethany showed Kaiden in to the small house, with both her mother and uncle inside of course. They first saw Bethany but quickly laid their eyes on the man in armor who just entered their home.

"hmmp, and who might you be?" Gamlen asked rudely to Kaiden's face. Leandra stepped in and said

"Take it easy Gamlen, if Bethany showed him in then he is a guest then"

"Its my house, you only live here cause the mansion isnt ours" He told her

"And we live here cause you gamble the mansion away" Leandra reminded her brother who just grunted in reponse.

"Well to answer your question Ser Gamlen, i am Kaiden Cousland" He introduced himself

Leandra looked surprised that her own daughter brought home the hero of Ferelden, to their house. She bowed down in respect and said "Its an honor my lord"

"No need to be formal mistress Hawke, and im no lord, my older brother is still alive and last i heard he rebuilded most of our castle" Kaiden said with a smile.

She then leaded them to the nearest table and sat down.

"Okay please tell me, to what owe we the pleasure of having you here Kaiden?" Leandra asked. Kaiden were about to answer but Bethany came before him.

"I invited him mother. We meet at the merchants guild and we talked, i told him of my brother and I's investment in the deep roards expedition and he made a donation for it" She answered without taking her eyes off him.

Leandra looked surprised that her daughter didnt take her eyes of him, and that he donated money to their family's investment.

"Really? you have my thanks Ser Cousland, with the deep roads expedition it might be easier to get our family's mansion back" Leandra thanked the young warden. Just then Garret came back and quickly saw Kaiden, sitting next to his little sister. Garret looked at him with a grim look, to be honest, he was protective of his sister, and would feed one to an orge, if they laid a hand on her.

"What is he doing here?" He demanded an answer. Bethany stood up and said

"I invited him to stay for the night, as a thanks for his help"

"We didnt needed his help, I could have earned that much coin somehow" He sneered at him.

"Garret, be nice he is our guest" His mother said to calm him down.

"He comes out of nowhere, and hands us money and say no string attach, forgive me if i dont buy it" He said

"Garret please" Bethany begged her older sibling

"Listen, if im the source of the problem here, i just go somewhere eles then" Kaiden told them, trying to solve the little conflict. Bethany looked at him with a little sad look on her face.

"That be best" Garret agreed on it.

Kaiden took his sword and shield and made a move to the door. "Well thanks for the hospitality miss, and misses Hawke, and you to Ser Gamlen" He said turned around to bow down for them.

"Come back again Ser Cousland" Leandra told him before he went out of the house. Then Leandra and Bethany turned to Garret with frustrated look on their faces.

"Do you have to be so rude Garret?!" His mother asked

"Someone nice, finally helps us with no need of repayment and you have to be an idiot towards him" Beth complained

"Hey! Im just looking after this family as i always have since father" He called out

"Treating people like that, will earn you nothing" His mother stated.

"I raised the money to this expedition by hard work, i dont need some hero who donates money just so he can feel better about himself. I be at the hanged man to speak with Varric" He told them.

Leandra just throw up her arms in frustration at her son's stubborness. He then left the house by slamming the door shut.

"Hmmm you should bring that lad around here more often, next time they might fight" Gamlen said with a amused smile.

Leandra and Bethany just ignored him until he left the house too. They then sat at the table again.

"So how did you two meet?" Leandra asked her daughter.

"Well today was not the first time we meet. We kind of meet after Ostagar before Carver and Garret came back" Bethany confessed.

"Oh really?" Leandra asked with a smile

"And he was headed to the circle tower to recruit mages for his army against the darkspawn, I asked if he could deliver a message to my cousin there" She said

"Oh yeah, i havnt heard from the tower sincethe blight" Leandra realised.

"And it turned out that the circle was broken, several mages turned to blood magic and almost killed everyone. He found our cousin and got her to safety and savde all the remaining mages" Bethany told her mother while it seemed like she began to daze of, by her own retelling about him.

"Bethany?" Leandra asked

"Yes mother" She said

"Do you got a crush on that lad?" She asked with an amused smile

This turned Bethany's face bright red "W-w-what?! No i do not" She stuttered

"Dont think you can fool me, i saw how you looked at him" She said with the same smile as before.

"Mother i do not fancy him" Beth kept on denying.

"If you say so my dear daughter. Then maybe you should not care if he might run into your friend Isabela" Leandra said with a sly smile. Bethany eyes just widen when she heard Isabela's name. She personal had nothing against the former pirate, but knew who she will be interested in for a night.

"Well, hopefully they wont meet" Bethany said while looking down. Leandra gave her a confused look and said.

"Why hopefully?"

This caught Bethany off guard, she didnt quite thought it through about the last sentence she said.

"Wait, the nearest inn is the hanged man right?" Beth asked her mother who just nodded.

"Didnt Garret tell us he be going there?!" she asked with a little panic.

"And knowing your brother, this will proberly end up with someone biting the dust as their last action" Leandra realised and saw how her little mage daughter ran out of the house.


	3. Chapter 3

Lowtown, night.

It was dusk in Lowtown, and Bethany still ran towards the Hanged man in hope of running into eighter her brother or Kaiden. She was partially worried for both of them, both of them are exeptionel warriors with fighting with 2 handed weapons. As she ran, she bumbed into an person and turned to apologice, only to find out it was Anders, but she still said sorry.

"Bethany, why are you in such a hurry?" He asked confused

"*Gasps* My brother, and *gasps* Kaiden" She manage to say between the gasping

"Ok wait a secound and get your breath" He advised her. She did as he said and relaxed to get some air.

"Ok. Well this might sound crazy, but my brother and the hero of Ferelden are meeting at the hanged man, and i got to stop them" She said. This caused a very confused Anders of balance when she mention Kaiden.

"Wait, wait for a secound. The hero of Ferelden?" He asked. She nodded in respones.

"As in the warden commander of Vigils keep?" He kept asking and she nodded again.

"And the slayer of the archdemon, but thats not the point" She said

"How come you know he and your brother are going to meet up, and why do you have to stop it?" He asked with great curiousity.

"Listsen i explain later, but i have to get to the hanged man before its to late. You wanna come?" She asked, starting to walk off. He did not answered but followed her.

The Hanged man.

"What ya mean you dont got anymore available rooms? You just said to the last drunk that you had plenty?" Kaiden asked a little outraged at the bartender.

"Then let me put it this way. I got no more room for fereldrens dirt licker. Now sod off before i call the guard!" The bartender warned the young warden.

Kaiden turned around only to find Garret right up in his face.

"No more rooms i guess" He said with a smug expression on his face.

"I guess not, maybe Bethany can help me then" Kaiden responded with an equal smug expression while Garret's face turn from smug, to mad.

"Listsen here, slayer of archdemons or no, you stay away from my sister" Garret orded him.

"What makes you think im going to hurt her?" Kaiden asked a little curious.

Just then Isabela came down the stairs and saw the two men argueing, she quickly recognize the man in the silverite armor.

"Kaiden is that you?" She asked surprised to see him

"Isabela? you sure look diffrent" He noticed

"Dont we all. You look diffrent too by the way. Last i checked you were on a quest to overule the mighty Loghain, and slay the archdemon after. What brings you to the city of chains?" She asked

"Wait, how do you 2 know each other?" Garret asked switiching looking at Kaiden and Isabela.

"He convinced some thugs to leave a whorehouse back in Denerim a while back, and we met after 3 guys ran off after they realised i didnt owed them money" She giggled at the end

Just then, Bethany and Anders came in and saw the 2 guys at each other with Isabela. As the went over to them, Kaiden looked at their direction and saw Anders.

"Anders? Didnt though i see you again" Kaiden said with a sly smile

"Same to you Kaiden, when i heard you were in town i just had to see it to belive it" Anders responded

This started to frustrate Garret abit as two of his friends knew Kaiden.

"Dont tell me you 2 also know each other" Garret asked

"He kind of the reason i am a grey warden" Anders said

"How come?" Bethany asked, joining the conversation.

"Well i just escaped from the circle tower and made it to Amaranthine. The templars managed to catch me and we were on the way back to the tower. We stopped at Vigils keep to rest and resupply when the darkspawn attacked. He found me roasting a few darkspawn and i tagged along. After the attack, King alistair came with his guard and a few templars at the keep. The templar recognize me as an apostate and swear that i will never be able to escape again. Since it was templar buisness, the king could not interfere, but the warden here, invoke the right of conscription to become a grey warden, so the templars could leave me alone" Anders explained

"I also did it partially cause i needed a mage" Kaiden admitted

"Still, they might have made me tranquill if you let them have me both times" Anders pointed out

"Both?" Isabela asked

"When we were in Amaranthine, we came across a warehouse where me phylacticer (I dont know how to spell it alright). Turned out to be a templar trap. He could have turned me over and saved himself the trouble, but refused" He explained

Then Varric join the party, hearing that this might go down dirty.

"Varric if you and him also know each other from old times, im going to kill you" Garret said frustrated.

Varric looked at what he meant and saw Kaiden and recognize him from the tales about him.

"Oh you mean Kaiden? He and i go way back, we met in cadesh thaig where he and his friends explored the ruins but were overwhelmed by darkspawn. I was out looking crystals my brother wanted me to find so he stop nagging me. I saw them from a far and knew i had to save. Just as his end was near an darkspawn's axe, I use my perfect marksman skills to kill the darkspawn" Varric told them

They all knew it was a tattletale, but Garret was not in the mood for it. He then turned his attention to his little sister.

"What are you doing here beth?" He asked

"I came to make sure nobody gets hurt" She answered

"Nobody is hurt, yet" Garret said while giving a deadly look to Kaiden

"If ya going to fight, do it outside!" Yelled the bartender

"Shall we?" Garret asked gesturring to the exit.

"Listsen Garret, i dont want any trouble tonight. I just want a bed for the night, not a fight" Kaiden said, trying to calm him down.

"If so you better stay away from my family then" Garret demanded

"Brother listen, i know you want to protect me, but Kaiden wont do us any harm. He is fereldren like us and has only done good things for us" Bethany cut in, trying to solve this mess.

Garret then seemed to think for a moment and then said "I know who he have been traveling with doing the blight, one of them a templar!" He pointed out

"Hey, he was a templar in training but never took his wows, and he is king now remember" Kaiden informed the group

This leaved some of the others with confused looks.

"Were king Alistair a templar in training?" Anders asked

"Yeah until Duncan, our mentor, recruited him into the grey wardens. Alistair does not have the same view points on mages as some other templars do" He said

"Still does not change the fact that you are not nearing my sister and family!" Garret told the young Cousland

Bethany was started to get frustrated by her brother's need to be overprotective towards her when it came down to Kaiden. She wont admit it to anyone beside herself that she has taken a liking of the young man.

"And what will you do, keep and eye out after him everyday as long we are in Kirkwall?" Bethany asked rather angry

"If i must" Was all Garret said before turning to Kaiden again.

"Why dont you two just fight about it?" Isabela asked. Garret seemed rather fund of the idea while Bethany and Kaiden did not. "If Garret wins, Kaiden leaves Kirkwall. If Kaiden wins, he gets to stay if he wants to" She added.

"I agree to the terms" Garret said with no sign of regret in his voice.

"But i still need to accept the challenge, which i will not" Kaiden said determinated with his arms crossed. Garret just chuckle a bit, until he tackled Kaiden to the ground and threw him out of the inn. Bethany quickly rushed outside to tend to Kaiden who got up with ease, all the others followed after Garret as he came out with his two handed sword in his hands.

"Brother please" Bethany begged her older sibling

"Stay out of it, eighter he dies now unless he accepts the challenge" Garret told Bethany, who then looked back at Kaiden.

"I guess there is not much choice, you have to fight him" Bethany said to Kaiden with sadness i her tone.

"Guess there is no way out then. Fine i accept your challenge ser Hawke. But just so you know, doing my travels, i learned how to master techniques with weapon and shield, and two handed weapons" Kaiden warned his opponent

Garret already had his 2 handed blade out in his hands, and Kaiden began to take out his family sword and shield, refurbished into silverite plating instead of grey iron. They began circle each other waiting for the other one to strike, much to the gathering crowd's dismay. Before anymore could happen, Aveline and some of her guardsmen and women came to stop this.

The crowd slowly began to walk off since nothing was going to happen anyway.

"Garret, what is going on?" Aveline asked the agitated Hawke.

"Just settling a score here" He answered with his sword still in his hands. Aveline then looked at Kaiden and asked

"Has this man done any illegal?"

"No, he has not" Answered Bethany

"Then i see no reason to allow this Hawke" Aveline said firmly

It pissed Garret off and he began to walk home in frustration, not caring if Beth followed him or not. Aveline then took her guards and continue their patrol through Lowtown.

"Arnt you going with him?" Kaiden asked Bethany who now stood beside him.

She just shook her head and said "He just need to rest" She then stood face to face with the warden "Dont blame him, he is just not used to have someone eles taking care of us, other then him since our father died"

"Well if you get the chance, can you maybe tell him im not going for to replace him in anyway?" He asked the young mage

"I try, dont know if he would listsen" She said. "I guess you have not found a place yet to rest for the night?" She asked

"No, i dont want to risk running into your brother again, and that stupid inn keeper wont let me stay cause im from Ferelden" He answered a little annoyed

Bethany thought hard to think of a place where he could stay, suddenly she got an idea, not one she is proud or happy about but felt like she had to suggest it.

"Um i may know a place you could stay" She said a little nervous.

"Im listning" Was all he said as he looked at her with a curious look.

"Well this might not be a good idea but, what about the blooming rose?" She asked with her face slowly going scarlet. This caught Kaiden off guard completly, he heard of the blooming rose to be a whorehouse.

"Um if its ok, why are you suggesting a whorehouse?" He asked really confused and curious.

"I know it sounds crazy, but they got beds and with the right coin, maybe you could ask them to let you sleep there for a night, with no company at all" She said

He started to see the sense in her idea, through he wish it wernt a whorehouse.

"Wait are you worried if i get company?" He asked with a smug smile.

This left her almost speechless. "What? n-no" she stuttered. "I just thought you wanted a night to rest" she added

"Course" He said "Okay, lead the way miss Hawke"


	4. Chapter 4

It has been 3 days since the hanged man incident between Garret and Kaiden. Garret made it clear that Kaiden should not try anything with Bethany, even said he was lucky that he allowed them to talk from time to time, but Garret kept it at a minimum. After Garret settled things with Varic about the expedition, they were now ready to move out to seek their fortune. Garret and Bethany were in the crowd of people plus Varic who were going to join in on the their way to the bowels of the earth for fortunes. After Bartrand hold his 'motivating' speech, he notice the mother of the two Hawke children and demanded who invited her. She politely apologised and said she had to talk to her children.

"Mother? what are you doing here?" Asked Garret confused.

"I just need to ask, are you planing taking Bethany with you?" She asked looking at her daughter

"To be honest i havnt thought about if i should bring her or no" He admitted

Bethany looked at them both and said "There is no need to worry, i be fine mother"

"But what if i loose one or both of you? i cant go through an other incident related to Carver" She pleaded

***Later, at the hanged man***

Kaiden were having a friendly conversation with Isabela at a table. They talked about their short encounter in Denerim when they first meet, and shared some stories of their adventures, Isabela's stories mostly involved various men and woemn, most women. Isabela drank like hole while Kaiden hold back since it was still the middle of tha day, and he wouldnt risk being drunk around Isabela since she already made a few passes at him. Bethany then came into the little tavern, and were quickly spotted by Isabela.

"Hey Beth, over here!" Called Isabela while waving her hand.

Bethany took a seat next to Kaiden and started to notice how much Isabela have drowned.

"Wernt you suppose to go in the deep roads?" Isabela asked

"My mother didnt want to risk to send both of her only children left down in a darkspawn infested tunnel, as she would say. So Garret told me to stay behind with mother till he gets back" She answered

"You seem disappointed" Kaiden noticed

"I kinda am. I really want to help mother by reclaiming the estate with whatever we might find down there. And i know how to fight darkspawn, had to fight through some from Lothering" She said a little frustrated

"I have been in the deep roads before, and belive me is not somewhere you wanna be" Kaiden assured her.

Isabela looked curious and asked "Whys that?"

"You think the darkspawn only kills and transform you into one of them?" He asked them and they nodded.

"Thats only to the men they do that to" He told them

"And um, what about women?" Bethany asked nervously.

Kaiden was very unsure if he should tell her or not. He didnt wanna scare her.

"Lets just say i pray they never get you" He said looking at her in the eyes.

Bethany felt that she was going to blush, but Isabela could already spot it before the mage.

"Scarlet much Beth hmmmm?" She half asked the shy mage

"Oh um i need to check on mother. See ya around Kaiden" She said quickly and ran off

"Keep making her blush like that and Garret's going to feed you to the quanri" Isabela joked. "Whatever happen to you red headed firend?. You know that bard i think" She added

Kaiden quickly looked at Isabela and tried to find the right explanation to this.

"What you mean?" He asked like he didnt know what she was talking about.

"I maybe little drunk but not stupid. That orlesian bard you seemed so fund of at the time, whatever happen to her?" She asked

"Um nothing, it was nothing can we move on now?" He asked quickly

Isabela gave up and said "Fine, deny all you want, i find out soon enough" "Well back to Beth, you do know she likes you right?" She asked

It kinda throwed Kaiden a little off balance by the sudden change of conversation topic. "What ya mean like?" he asked curiously

She just smiled and said "You know, the kind of like that she wants more than friends. Could be good for her too"

"What ya mean 'good for her'?" He asked

"Dont you know?" She asked, and he just shooked his head. She leaned in and signaled him to do too and said "She never had a lover!"

This made his eyes wide, he knew she didnt had casual encounters like Isabela, but he would have thought that there would have been one lucky guy out there.

"Surprised?" She asked

"To be honest, not so much. You know, cause of her overprotective brother and her so innorcent nature" He said

"Heh, well glad to give you a heads up" She said with a wicked smile

"Wait you think she and i will?" He asked her, knowing she knew what he meant.

"Not now, but it will happen i bet it will" She assured him. He just got up and said "Well this been interresting, i think i go now" and quickly went outside.

***Meanwhile, at Gamlen's house***

Bethany just got home and her mother noticed how fast her young mage daughter panted.

"My dear, what happen? Has the templar found you?" Leandra asked concerned

"No mother, i just needed to get home quickly" She said

Leandra looked more calm now. "Oh, whys that?" She asked

"Um, how do you, you know how do you court a man?" She asked with a very low voice, but her mother could still hear it and suddenly smiled

"Do i have to guess who it is about?" She half asked while smiling

"Its just, you never know when you need to know" Beth excused but her mother didnt bought it but pretended to, so her daughter would might stop being so nervous.

"Okay then, well there is alot of ways and some traditions that might help you" She said

"How ya know when to use the right way?" Beth asked

"Well depends who the man is. It is a man right?" She asked jokingly, but Beth could not see the funny in it.

"It is a man! And he's um. Friendly and helpful and such" Beth Answered

"Well, maybe chocolates could help. In some places, when a women offered a man chocolates she made herself, it usual means that she shows her affection to him" She suggested.

"Isnt it the other way around?" Beth asked confused

"Well, maybe in Orlais of some other place. Pretty sure thats how it is, and what is the worst that could happen?" Leandra asked

"That if its not true then it would might be awkward?" Suggest Beth

"Atleast you have something to eat meanwhile" She pointed out "And i thought Garret was the one to think on his stomach, now i see where he has it from" Beth replied while giggling a little


	5. Chapter 5

Its_ a beautiful evening in the Sundermount mountains. Clear sky with only sun, no bandits or foul creatures in sight, only good weather and green grass. Bethany had invited Kaiden to this spot to spend some time together._

_"Well do you like it?" A confident Bethany asked her friend who seemed to be enchanted by the view.  
_

_"Its amazing. How did you found this spot again?" He asked curiously  
_

_"Oh Merril and I usual go around here to practice magic, its close to the local dalish camp so the templars dont usual wandere here" She answered, and began to move seductivly towards the gray warden. He took notice and took steps towards her to. They stopped right infront of each other and starred for a moment before Kaiden hold her around her waist and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him tighter to her head. They tumpled to the ground but it didnt stop them, it just encourage them more to go on. Bethany layed on the ground with Kaiden leaning above her from the side, his lips still on hers. One of his hands began to slide down her slim body and reached her thigh, where he began to rub her gently.  
_

_"Mmmm Kaidan" She managed to moan when their lips departed._

**End of dream**

Bethany was sleeping peacefully, while her mother watched her since she was about to wake her up but began to hear her daughter's moaning.

"Mmmm Kaiden" She said asleep.

'hm, knew it got to be about him' Leandra thought and decided to wake the young mage up.

Bethany was disappointed that it was only a dream, but shocked also to see her mother infront of her.

"Um did you?" She asked while turning scarlet.

"Well i heard the name Kaiden, and saw a big smile on you when you said it" Her mother said and couldnt stop but giggled a little of it.

"And you just watched?!" Beth asked in disbelief

"You always deny when asked if you liked the man, had to hear you confess even when it was a dream. Which sounded like it led to something" Leandra said while having a smirk smile on her face.

Bethany did not said anything since she didnt know how to respond to this. So she got dressed and ate some bread for breakfeast before heading out to the hanged man to meet the rest of the gang.

**Hanged man: Lowtown**

The inn was busy as always, but Kaiden and Isabela sat at their usual table to swap stories with one an other.

"Camping out in the open in the woods is not as bad as it sounds, if you found a safe place to camp that is" Kaiden assured her.

She just poured down her drink and said "I bet gossip wasnt hard to avoid"

He chuckled and said "I gave them to much credit, beliving that they got better things to do then talk about my personal life"

It caught Isabela's attention and asked "And was a certain red headed bard part of that personal life?"

His tone changed to a little sadden tune and said "Well, not anymore" and looked down in his drink.

"Someday, you are gonna tell me what happen" Isabela said determined

"Tell you what?" Asked a curious Bethany who just came and sat down next to Isabela, infront of Kaiden.

"Its, um something for an other day perhaps" He said quickly and drank his drink rather quick and got up to get more.

"Want anything Beth?" He asked

"Some water please" She requested. He went right to it, but had to stay in line to get the drinks, which gave the girls time to talk.

"What was it you talked about?" Beth asked

"Oh just some of his adventures doing the blight, mainly about when they made camp and how they got to pass time away" Isabela answered the young mage.

"Um did he tell you any?" She asked curious to know what he likes to use to pass time.

"He mostly chatted with his friends, and heard singing of an bard" She smirked

This confused Bethany a little. "Why would he have a bard in his travels?" She asked.

"Apperently, this red headed orlesian knew a thing or two with daggers, and had remarkable archery skills. I suspect that she and him did a little more than just chatting and singing" Isabela said playfully.

"Wait, you mean they?" She was about to ask but Isabela caught her off.

"Not anymore i think, he tends to try and avoid the topic. My battle plan, get him so drunk that he'll tell you anything" She said and winked her eyebrows. Bethany had an unsure expression on her face, but still managed to ask.

"You, you think it work?" She asked in a low voice, not feeling particular good about the idea. This gave Isabela a amused and surprised look on her face.

"Well well, and i thought you would reject the idea and try to stop me" She said

Before anymore could be said, Kaiden returned with drinks. A bottle of whiskey for Isabela and him to enjoy, and water for Beth. Kaiden and Izzy took their cups and got the whiskey down in them. Bethany just sat there and saw them drinking away with no care of whatever may come afterwards.

"Hey um, could i try some?" She asked nervously, which surprised both the pirate and the warden.

"What?" She asked since they looked at her weird.

"Bethany, have you ever had a drink?" Kaiden asked

"Well no, mostly cause i dont know what will happen if i get to much. Who knows what will happen if i get drunk, hidding from the templars is hard enough as it is" She said

Izzy was already pouring a glass for the young newbie, but Kaiden had a more concern look on his face, which Beth caught quickly.

"Is there something wrong Kaiden?" She asked worried

"Im just worried if you get more then you bargain for" He said in a casual voice.

"One drink then?" Beth suggested, seeing if it could ease it up a bit.

"One couldnt hurt" He said smiling.

"No fun, the quiet and or innocent ones are usual the most craziest drunks" Isabela pouted before finishing her 5 drink. Beth then poured her cup up and drank it all. She made sour look on her when she tasted untill she swallowed it.

"*cough* Ugh how can you drink this?!" She aske, little amazed how people could drink this on a daily basis.

Isabela just smiled and giggled and said "Years of practice"

Suddenly Kaiden got up and said "Well as fun it has been, i need to go now" with a smile and a nod.

Beth got curious and asked "Where are you going?"

He turned around and said "To the docks, i recently sent an letter to a friend of mine to deliver a package for me, his ship should come to dock today"

Bethany thought about tagging along, she had recently tried to get some alone time with him since he usual hangs out with Anders and Isabela.

"Um is it ok i tag along?" She asked a little nervous. The question did light what little of Isabela's attention up at the question and looked intrigue by the mage's request. The warden wonder a bit why she would leave the tavern since templars dont usual come here, but he did liked her company.

He smiled and said "Sure" and offered his hand to help her up from her seat. She accepted it and blushed a bit by the gesture, which clearly got notice by the drunk pirate and the warden.

They got out of the inn and began their walk down to the docks. Beth tried to get the courage to start a conversation with him, but did not knew what to speak of.

"So why did wanted to go with me to the docks?" He asked rather bluntly. This brought some panic in her, she had not thought of and excuse that was beliveable yet.

"I um, just needed get out a bit. Drowning drinks havnt been my style and i needed to get away from the men there" She said, which was not far from the truth at all, men had tried sweet talk her but she repeatly turned them down.

He seemed to catch it and said "I know what you mean, had to deal with one of the barmaids who thought i was flirting with her because i keep ordering for drinks. Thats why i bought it from the tavern owner himself"

"Do you think they did it because they thought you had money or your apperance?" She asked without thinking, quickly regretting it. She was about to take it back but he beated her to it with a little laughter and said "I think its a mix of both, dont you think?"

She clearly blushed and looked down as they went and said "Thats proberly it" in a nervous tone.

Later as they arrived at the docks, they waited for about an half hour before his friend's ship arrived. It was transport ship which also uses as a passenger ship. One of the passengers waved over at Kaiden and saw the man had a brown rope covering his armor and apperance, they also spotted that he had a heavy looking satchel with him.

"There he is" Kaiden pointed out and went over to the rope clad figure, with Beth following his lead.

"I trust no one noticed you?" Kaiden asked.

"Warden you wound me, did you forgot i was an assassin? I could go around with nothing on but my gloves and and knifes and i would still be unnoticeable" Said the figure with an antivian accent. He took a look at Bethany and bowed and asked "And who might this fine young lady be?" In his usual seductive voice.

Bethany were a flattered of the compliment and said "My name is Bethany Hawke. And who might you be?"

"Ah where are my manners" He said and took his hood off." My name is Zevran, serah Hawke" He then looked over at the warden "You could have mention that you would have brought such a beautiful as you companion, would have weared my good rope" He said and laughed a little.

Beth giggled a little, while Kaiden tried to signal Zevran to not go there.


End file.
